غَدَت أُمُّ دَفرٍ وَهِيَ غَيرُ حَميدَةٍ

غَدَت أُمُّ دَفرٍ وَهِيَ غَيرُ حَميدَةٍ

مُغَنِّيَةً عَوّادَةً في المَجالِسِ

مُغَنِّيَةً عَوّادَةً في المَجالِسِ

Umm Dafr, though not praiseworthy, has become

The mother of Dafr has become immoral

a singer and lute-player in gatherings.

A wanton singer in gatherings

تَعودُ عَلى مَن لَم يَمُت بِحِمامِهِ

تَعودُ عَلى مَن لَم يَمُت بِحِمامِهِ

وَتُعلي فَقيراً عُدَّ بَعضَ المَفالِسِ

وَتُعلي فَقيراً عُدَّ بَعضَ المَفالِسِ

She returns to whoever has not yet met his destined death,

Accustomed to those not dead in their tents

and raises up a poor man counted among the bankrupt.

And raising up a pauper counted among the bankrupt

وَما نَفسُ حَسّانَ الَّذي شاعَ جُبنُهُ

وَما نَفسُ حَسّانَ الَّذي شاعَ جُبنُهُ

بِأَسلَمَ مِن نَفسِ الكَميِّ المُخالِسِ

بِأَسلَمَ مِن نَفسِ الكَميِّ المُخالِسِ

And the life of Hassān, whose cowardice became renowned,

And the soul of the cowardly Hassân is not

is no safer than the life of the armored warrior who strikes by surprise.

More peaceful than the deceitful flatterer

فَيا لَيتَ أَني لَم أَكُن في بَريَّةٍ

فَيا لَيتَ أَني لَم أَكُن في بَريَّةٍ

وَإِلّا فَوَحشيّاً بِإِحدى الأَمالِسِ

وَإِلّا فَوَحشيّاً بِإِحدى الأَمالِسِ

So, if only I had never been among humankind,

Oh would that I had not been in the wilderness

or, failing that, had been a wild creature on one of the smooth, bare plains,

Otherwise a beast in one of the dens

يُسَوِّفُ أَزهارَ الرَبيعِ تَعِلَّةً

يُسَوِّفُ أَزهارَ الرَبيعِ تَعِلَّةً

وَيَأمَنُ في البَيداءِ شَرَّ المَجالِسِ

وَيَأمَنُ في البَيداءِ شَرَّ المَجالِسِ

sniffing spring's blossoms as a diversion,

Postponing the flowers of spring on pretext

and safe in the desert from the evil of gatherings.

And feeling safe in the wilderness from gatherings

وَمَن يَسكُنِ الأَمصارَ لا يَعدَمِ الأَذى

وَمَن يَسكُنِ الأَمصارَ لا يَعدَمِ الأَذى

بِإِبليسَ مَشفوعاً بِمِثلِ الأَبالِسِ

بِإِبليسَ مَشفوعاً بِمِثلِ الأَبالِسِ

And whoever dwells in cities never escapes harm,

Whoever inhabits cities will not lack harm

from Iblīs, accompanied by the likes of devils.

With Satan accompanied by the like of imps

يُساوِرُ أسداً مِن غُواةِ مُساوِرٍ

يُساوِرُ أسداً مِن غُواةِ مُساوِرٍ

وَطُلسَ ذِئابٍ مِن رِجالِ الطَيالِسِ

وَطُلسَ ذِئابٍ مِن رِجالِ الطَيالِسِ

He grapples with lions among Musāwir's misguided followers,

Consorting with a lion from the arrogant youth

and with dusky wolves among the men in mantles.

And a pack of wolves from the men of mischief

مَتّى ما تُصِب يَوماً طَعاماً لِظالِمٍ

مَتّى ما تُصِب يَوماً طَعاماً لِظالِمٍ

فَقُم عَنهُ وَاِفغَر بَعدَهُ فَمَ قالِسِ

فَقُم عَنهُ وَاِفغَر بَعدَهُ فَمَ قالِسِ

Whenever, one day, you partake of an oppressor's food,

Whenever you serve food to an unjust person

then rise from it, and afterward open your mouth like one who vomits.

Rise from it, and afterwards gape with a toothless mouth

وَما جاوَزَت خَيلٌ خَوائِلَ أُلَساً

وَما جاوَزَت خَيلٌ خَوائِلَ أُلَساً

إِلى الرومِ إِلّا بِالشُرورِ الأَوالِسِ

إِلى الرومِ إِلّا بِالشُرورِ الأَوالِسِ

And no proudly prancing horses passed beyond Ulas

And no horses have crossed the stony plains

toward the Romans except with treacherous evils.

To Rome except with the foremost evils

أُدالِسُ نَفسي ثُمَّ أَظلِمُ صُحبَتي

أُدالِسُ نَفسي ثُمَّ أَظلِمُ صُحبَتي

إِذا رُمتُ خِلّاً مِنهُمُ لَم يُدالِسِ

إِذا رُمتُ خِلّاً مِنهُمُ لَم يُدالِسِ

I deceive myself, then wrong my companions,

I beguile my soul then oppress my company

when I seek among them a friend who does not deceive.

When I become free of them, they do not beguile